Parvoviruses are among the smallest DNA-containing viruses that infect animals and man. The parvoviridae family is divided into three genera: Parvovirus; Dependovirus (adeno-associated); and Densovirus. Parvoviruses range in size from 15 to 28 nm in diameter, lack a lipid membrane (non-enveloped), and contain a single strand of DNA. Parvoviruses are heat stable and generally resistant to chemical deactivating agents, which may account for their prevalence and persistence in the environment. In animals, many diseases such as canine parvovirus and feline panleukopenia exhibit high morbidity and high mortality in affected animal populations and the infections can persist endemically.
In humans, the first identified pathogenic member of this family is parvovirus B19, which is a member of genus erythrovirus. Other B19-related human parvoviruses include A6 and V9 (see, e.g., Ngyen et al. “Identification and characterization of a second novel human erythrovirus variant, A6.” Virology. 2002 Sep. 30; 301(2):374-80). The genomes of A6 and V9 are highly related to that of B19. Animal parvoviruses such as canine parvovirus, feline parvovirus, mink enteritis virus, and porcine parvovirus, are responsible for many serious diseases in animals. As with other parvoviruses, B19 is highly contagious and exhibits high morbidity in affected populations. B19 causes fifth disease in normal individuals, transient aplastic crisis in patients with underlying hemolysis, and chronic anemia due to persistent infection in immunocompromised patients. B19 infection in pregnancy can lead to hydrops fetalis and fetal loss. B19 has also been implicated as the cause of chronic arthritis in adults where there is evidence of recent B19 infection, e.g., rheumatoid and inflammatory arthritis.
Despite the known pathogenicity of parvoviruses and the urgent need for methods to prevent, diagnose and treat parvovirus infections, other human parvoviruses have not yet been identified. Therefore a need exists to identify human parvoviruses and to provide a method for diagnosing, preventing and treating parvovirus infection. Moreover, there exists a need to provide methods to detect, purify and/or remove parvoviruses from samples such as human blood products.